ANGUSalive joins VisitScotland Information Partner (VIP) Programme

Ann Morrice and Gill Tough from ANGUSLive celebrate joining VisitScotland’s Information Partner (VIP) programme with VisitScotland coo-visors Cherlye Brown and Katie Bell and Hamish, the Coo Van. Credit:Fraser Band

Edinburgh, Scotland, 2017-Oct-10 — /Travel PR News/ — A museum dedicated to Britain’s oldest surviving lighthouse, the “wee red toonie” old jail and courthouse, and all of the libraries in Angus are enjoying VIP status after joining an innovative scheme to provide first-class information to visitors.

ANGUSalive, the charitable trust for culture, sport and leisure across the region, is the newest addition to the VisitScotland Information Partner (VIP) Programme.

The initiative is designed to allow those working within the tourism industry to become local ambassadors for their town or region, providing visitors with details about things to see and do both locally and further afield.

Signal Tower Museum in Arbroath, Brechin Town House Museum, Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum and Forfar’s Meffan Museum & Art Gallery are just some of the attractions that will now offer inspiration to holidaymakers.

As part of the official accreditation, museum staff, as well as staff at the region’s seven libraries, will provide information to visitors by actively promoting their local area and the services offered by local businesses.

Fiona Dakers Senior Manager of Libraries, Customer & Culture at ANGUSalive said: “The staff in our ANGUSalive museums, libraries and archives have a great local knowledge and a real enthusiasm for promoting Angus. We’re proud to have the quality of our visitor information provision showcased through membership of the VIP Programme and we’re looking forward to continuing to help visitors to our area make the most of their time in Angus”.

Residents and visitors may also have spotted VisitScotland’s distinctive Coo Vans, manned by a fleet of friendly coo-visors, who have been touring the country attending events, visiting tourism hotspots and pit stopping at visitor attractions. The vans are part of VisitScotland’s strategy to provide inspiration to visitors in new and innovative ways and in doing so extend a ‘personal touch’ to outreach marketing activity, passing on distinctive information about things to see and do throughout the country.

So far this season the unique herd have visited a Dogs Day Out at Glamis Castle, Arbroath Seafest, House of Dun and Barry Mill.

Jim Clarkson,VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Director, said“We’re delighted to welcome ANGUSalive into our VIP programme, their sites already provide visitors with a real insight into the history and heritage of this wonderful region. They are the perfect fit for what we hope to achieve with the VIP scheme and their enthusiastic and friendly staff will be fantastic ambassadors for Angus.

“The way people access information is changing, our VIP programme, outreach activity and, of course, our herd of Coo Vans, are part of our innovative new approach to ensure visitors have access to high-quality information, inspiration and advice – in the right place, at the right time. “

The VIP programme is open to all Quality Assured businesses, as well as community groups, local authority-operated library services and social enterprises. VisitScotland provides the partner sites with official signage and collateral, promotional material and information resources to make sure visitors receive an excellent standard of information about the area and the rest of Scotland. For more information, visit www.visitscotland.org

For more information about ANGUSalive visit:www.angusalive.scot/

To join the VisitScotland Information Partner (VIP) Programme visit: www.visitscotland.org/about_us/what_we_do/visitor_information/information_partner_programme.aspx

Notes to Editors

  • Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
  • VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
  • The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
  • This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
    1. Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
    2. Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
    3. Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
    4. Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
    5. Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
    6. Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
    7. Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
  • To ensure everyone can safely enjoy Scotland’s amazing countryside and landscapes, VisitScotland encourages all visitors to fully respect their surroundings by behaving in a responsible and appropriate way.
  • VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
  • The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
  • Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP
  • The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
  • For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
  • Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)

2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology

  • 2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland’s fascinating stories through a wide-ranging variety of new and existing activity to drive the nation’s tourism and events sector, boosting tourism across Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology begins on 1 January 2017 and will end on 31 December 2017. It will build on the momentum generated by previous themed years in Scotland including the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Creative Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is supported by £570,000 of Scottish Government funding.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
  • For more information visit visitscotland.com/HHA2017 or join the conversation at #HHA2017

SOURCE: VisitScotland

MEDIA CONTACT

Louise Purves

Corporate Press Officer – National
North Region, Consumer PR (Scotland)
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